Never Surrender
by CenasNakedInMyBedWithMe
Summary: John Abruzzi paid top dollar for protection and after his escape from Fox River he finds out just how much he needs it. But how can he fully trust the woman he's hired when she's also an FBI agent? Will either of them surrender to save the other? JohnxOC
1. Nice to Meet You

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The black Hummer H3 screeched to a halt in front of a seedy motel and the doors flew open. John Abruzzi stepped out and straightened his jacket. The men surrounding him quickly skimmed the area for anyone that might be moving in on Mr. Abruzzi. Satisfied that the area was clear they ushered him into room 117 and stood watch outside.

John uneasily stepped into the room and removed his sunglasses. It had been over forty- eight hours since he'd escaped Fox River and now he was meeting up with the one person that could get him out of the country and to safety. There were at least twenty people in the room all of whom were too preoccupied with loading their weapons and getting their orders which were being handed out by a petite redhead at the back of the room. John couldn't help but say a quick prayer. If this was the woman who he was putting his life in the hands of then he was surely a dead man.

He cleared his throat and she spun on her heels and came face-to-face with John Abruzzi. "So we finally meet." She extended her hand and gripped his in a firm handshake. "Mirabella Borrelli."

John pulled her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles and gave her a crooked smile. "So _you're_ the one I'm paying the big bucks to protect me."

"That's me sir. And may I add its money well spent." She motioned to a chair near her make shift desk. "Please have a seat Mr. Abruzzi and let me fill you in."

--- --- ---

"This is not what I agreed to! I won't be used as bait!" John paced the room causing everyone to grow a little nervous. 

Mirabella calmly stood and closed a manila folder on the desk. "That's fine Mr. Abruzzi. It's your call. But let me tell you this. You agreed to me protecting you and that's what I'm trying to do. Don't get me wrong I understand that a man of your stature might have a problem with a woman calling the shots but take a look at my resume and maybe you'll feel a little better." She handed him the folder and excused herself to get a cup of coffee.

John watched as she walked away and ran a hand over his hair. She was right of course but he would never admit to it. It wasn't that she was a woman; well that was a small part of it. The biggest part of his problem with her plan is that he didn't fully trust her. But she was his only chance at making it to freedom alive.

"Coffee?" Mirabella asked as she held out a cup to him.

"Thanks." 

She took a sip and leaned back in her chair. "We've got about an hour before go time. My men are getting into place now. So what's it going to be?"

John toyed with the cross necklace that hung around his neck as if it would give him the answers. "Give me one reason why I should trust this plan?"

"'l'll give you five million Mr. Abruzzi, plus one more. Alex Mahone and his men are on your tail and had you walking right into their set up because you are too set on getting your revenge on Fibonocchi. _I'm_

the one that intercepted the hit on you and devised this plan. _I'm _the one your right hand man recommended. _I'm_ the one that's here now ready to take down anyone that gets too close. You're not in prison anymore Mr. Abruzzi. Feel free to walk out that door at any moment, but when you do you are no longer my problem."

John took in all that she had said. It was a bitter pill to swallow especially when he was use to being the one in charge, but under the circumstances he had no choice. "Fine. I'll bite, but I'm warning you if this goes wrong my men will be all over you. You won't see the light of day ten minutes past my death."

"I really love your optimism Mr. Abruzzi." Her sarcasm didn't sit well with him and he shrugged it off hitting her with a dose of his own.

"Please, call me John. After all my life is in your capable hands."

She smirked and handed him a bulletproof vest. "Put this on, it's almost time to go. You have any questions?"

"Nope."


	2. Moment of Weakness

Moment of weakness

Once again the black Hummer H3 pulled up to room 116 of the Globe motel. And John Abruzzi exited the vehicle and looked around the area before smoothing his jacket and pulling out his loaded nickel plated 45 caliber. Just as planned he slowly opened door 116 and entered. The shower was running just as Mirabella had said it would be. A slow trickle of sweat trickled down his forehead. Then he heard the voices.

"John Abruzzi we have the place surrounded, put your down weapons and come out with your hands up."

John said another prayer while smoothing his hand down his jacket which concealed the bulletproof vest.

This was it he thought.

No matter how much trust he had in Mirabella and her plan, when it came to men with guns John knew the odds.

The final minutes before life and death. He opened the door and locked eyes with Alex Mahone the same man that had been on their tail at the graveyard where Michael had dug up a change of clothes for them. Carefully he laid down his gun and held his hands up. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Mirabella and one of her men and he hit the pavement. All he could here was gunfire above him as he now lay on the ground with a burning sensation in his left arm and shoulder area.

-- -- --

"John! John can you hear me?" She held his head in her arms and he could smell the faintest hint of perfume.

His voice wouldn't answer but he managed to shake his head. And she put her arms under him and single handedly pulled him into the Hummer. "Let's go! We've got to get medical help." She ripped apart her jacket and applied pressure to the wounds. But the one at his neck had her worried. She couldn't just take him to any local hospital and get medical treatment unnoticed. There was only one option. Dr. Borrelli, her father.

-- -- --

(Seattle, Washington)

"I know what your thinking dad, but I'm just doing my job. You don't have to like it but you have to respect it. Just patch him up so we can get out of here."

"He's an escaped convict accused of killing two men. And you want me to trust him with my only child?"

Mirabella paced the room her frustration evident. "You don't have to trust him you just have to do your job and treat him. I'll worry about the rest."

"I'll do what I can."

-- -- --

John awoke feeling groggy and disoriented. The lights were off leaving the room dark yet he felt a soft hand reach out and hold his hand in theirs. "I'm sorry John. I let you down. But you are recovering and we should be out of here in the next three days."

John Abruzzi took a deep breath in and exhaled. Fluid still gargled in his throat from the gunshot but she made out his words. "You kept your word...I'm still here...alive."

"I'm so sorry John. We weren't aware of the snipers they had in place. But as far as they know you are dead. The Fox River Eight is now the Fox River Seven."

"The money?" John clutched at her hand. "We have to get the money."

She shook her head. "No you have to get better. The money will come soon. Scofield, Burrows, Bagwell and Sucre are on the move so let them do the dirty work then we'll move in for the kill."

He nodded his head and motioned to the phone. "Need ...to ...make a...call."

"Sorry John I can't do that. You need your rest."

"I ... need...the phone."

Something in his eyes made her heart break. She saw fear in his eyes, he was scared. Scared of dying, losing money or losing his empire. His moment of weakness was also hers as she gave in and handed him the phone and left the room.

-- -- --

"Mirabella I swear I don't know what gets into you. I know you have a job to do but protecting the biggest mob boss since Al Capone? Am I really to believe this is what the FBI has you doing?"

She poured herself a drink and stood in front of the fireplace. "You can believe what you want dad. But John Abruzzi is my case and I am doing what I need to do to see that justice is served."

"Is that so? It sounds awfully cryptic to me."

"Maybe that's the key to surviving this."

Dr. Borrelli removed his glasses. "Look I know all about the break and I know who Abruzzi is and what you both are after."

She polished off her drink and set the empty glass aside. "Good. Then you understand why I have to do this." Regretfully she shot him with her stun gun and yelled for her assistant Vincenzo. "Get John to the car and call Sal for the flight info. We don't have time for the Utah trip, we're going straight to Chieti."

Mirabella strolled behind as Vincenzo practically carried Abruzzi along the hallway out to the helicopter which was to take them to the awaiting plane. She used the time to make a few calls and make sure everything was in place.

John was in and out during her phone conversations so he couldn't be sure of what he heard but he would bet his life that she couldn't be trusted.


	3. Safe Haven

John had been drifting in and out of consciousness for hours. And somewhere along the way Mirabella had informed him that they were on a private jet headed for Italy.

Headed for Italy without the money.

Sure John had plenty of money in an off shore account that could never be traced back to him. But he wanted more. And if he got a hold of the five million D B Cooper left it wouldn't put a dent in his account to pay off Mirabella.

However he was yet to see if she was worth the amount she was promised.

-- -- --

The captain informed the passengers that they would be landing in an hour and Mirabella studied the tall man lying on the couch. She knew just about all there was to know about John Abruzzi, all one could know by reading his file over and over. She knew he was guilty of ordering the hit on those men but she couldn't hold it against him. When she looked at him she didn't see a murderer. She saw a passionate, loving and gentle man, a man who needed someone to care for him and show him how to live outside the mob life. He just needed to be taught some kindness.

Mirabella caught herself thinking of him in a non professional way and had to literally shake her head.

John shifted on the sofa and she easily walked over to him. "John?"

He groaned and she bent down on her knees to check his bandages. The wound at the crook of his neck appeared to be ok. But the one on his shoulder was bleeding through the gauze. She dug through the medical supplies that she'd managed to swipe from her father's house and cut a lengthy piece of gauze. It appeared that a couple of stitches had ruptured and she wasn't sure she could sew him back up.

"You can do it Bella." John whispered.

"I don't know John. You've popped a few stitches and if I do manage to repair this you can't move this arm or your only tear them again."

He tried to give her a smile but the pain cut him off and he let out a low groan.

"Ok John, but you have to take these first." She shook out some antibiotics and pain pills and placed them in his mouth before carefully raising his head up to take a drink of water.

Once he was out she went to work with the small needle and thread. It was as good as new but she was worried about infection as a fever had already set in on John. Mirabella cleaned the tools and picked up the bloodied bandages and poured herself a stiff drink of straight whiskey.

All she could think about was getting off this plane and into her safe haven. The place she was taking John wasn't the place he was expecting. Just like he didn't trust her she had her own issues when it came to trust and it would have been too easy for all his men to take her out when they reached Sardinia, the location John had made arrangements for.

She wasn't called the best for nothing. Her only objective was to keep him alive and right now none of his men could be trusted which is why she changed the itinerary to Chieti, Italy.

It was her home away from home so to speak. Her parents had left her the villa complete with grape farm, vineyard and olive trees. It was about twenty miles away from town and away from prying eyes. It was the perfect place to hide out.

There was only a caretaker, Manny and his wife Isobel that lived on the property and they were already expecting Mirabella and her guest.

The captain alerted them to buckle in for landing and she sat at the end of the sofa and placed John's legs in her lap before buckling in. She placed her arms around his waist and chest pulling him towards her to keep him from falling off the sofa. He was completely limp and burning up with fever.

Mira picked up the phone and called Manny. He was already at the landing strip with the car waiting. And after questioning him to make sure that no one was suspicious or looking for Abruzzi. Mirabella asked him to call Isobel to get some supplies for John's wound. Manny assured her that everything would be taken care of and she hung up.

-- -- --

Ten minutes later they were finally on the ground and John was being carried to the waiting car by Vincenzo. "I hope this is worth it Miss Mira."

"It is Vincenzo. Thank you. I'll call you when I need you.

The big man nodded. "I'll be waiting."

John grimaced as he was helped into the backseat of the car. With each conversation he overheard the less he trusted Mirabella. Yet he was in no condition to set his plan into motion, so he could only wait.

"Where are we?" John grimaced and let his head rest against the back of the seat.

"Just outside Chieti. It's too dangerous to go on with your plan."

"I didn't agree to my plans being changed. You get me back on that plane I have to get to Sardinia by tonight."

She smirked. "I take it you're feeling better then?"

"I don't know what games your playing Mirabella but I have a plan and that plan includes me on a beach in Sardinia otherwise I may lose everything I've worked so hard to acquire."

The car slowed down and made a turn onto a barely visible dirt road. The scenery was undeniably breathtaking as John noticed the rows and rows of grapes set on rolling hills. In the distance he could make out a quaint villa that looked like something straight out of an Italy travel guide. He pushed the button to roll down the window, forgetting for the moment that he was angry as he inhaled the fresh air and closed his eyes.

"Once again Mr. Abruzzi, my only concern is keeping your ass alive. The reason you need to get to Sardinia is the same reason I have to keep you away from there. Someone in your camp is a traitor, which means your little hideaway oasis is actually a set up. So you choose, lose your freedom and possibly your life or your empire."

John looked into her gray eyes and knew she was telling the truth but how she knew all this eluded him.


End file.
